Lucas County income taxes exceeding expectations

7/1/2005

Lucas County residents apparently are spending more money, news welcomed by county officials who rely on sales tax for the majority of their $132 million general fund budget.

John Zeitler, director of the county s office of management and budget, told county leaders yesterday that the sales tax already has generated $1.6 million more than the county had expected.

Additionally, interest income has come in higher than expected as well, he said.

The numbers come from money collected during the first five months of the year.

Although the additional money is good news and likely will allow the county to avoid dipping heavily into its $22 million reserve account officials warned that anything can change during the rest of the year.

The budget office also alerted county officials yesterday that the 2006 budget process will soon begin.